"Twilight, I need yer help."
That was the one sentence spoken by Applejack all of that day. But if sobbing counts as talking, then she'd been a complete blabber mouth. Even her sister, Apple Bloom, who always had a running mouth, was silent in between the sobs. Big MacIntosh, Applejack's big brother, and Granny Smith cried too, only they were more subtle about it. They couldn't have all been crying, there would have been no comforting.
But what were they all mourning over? And the answer to that would be their pet dog, Winona. The farm dog was found already dead on the Sweet Apple Acres' homestead porch. No one had a clue as to what happened to the poor dog. Winona had been as healthy as a puppy, and just older than one too.
After a thorough investigation in hopes of finding out what happened, and a day full of mourning, and plentiful prayers said, Applejack was then on Ponyville's library pouch, wherein lived Applejack's friend, Twilight Sparkle.
With the rain sogging Applejack's golden mane, and the soft pings of rain hitting the heavy box strapped around her back, Applejack said once more, "Twilight, I, an' the rest a' us back at the orchard- Winona... Winona, she's..." Like a snap in her body, Twilight realized what had happened. With a grim frown on her face, she stepped aside in the doorframe to allow her friend in.
Once Applejack was inside, and the door shut to keep the rain outside, the two said nothing. But they met eyes, one shattered pair, and the other sympathetic. A silent exchange of sorrow and sympathy between the two. After a few moments that felt to stretch on forever, Applejack broke out in a flutter of blinks to try and fight back tears. Whereas meanwhile, a small purple dragon groggily climbed down the stairs and through a yawn asked, "Hi there Appl-"
Twilight spun around instantly at the sound of Spike's voice and clamped a hoof over her mouth to signal him to be quiet. Spike understood her message and hushed himself, and Twilight then gestured for him to go back upstairs, of which Spike obliged.
Slowly turning herself around after her assistant had gone back upstairs, Twilight saw the box that had been on Applejack's back now on the floor. And with it, Applejack hunched over the box with a steady flow of silent tears flooding from her eyes. Twilight took a few steps forward, and gently placed a single hoof on the lid once she was close enough to do so.
Bowing her head in respect, for she too liked Winona, Twilight allowed a few tears drip down to the lid of the box.
"Winona was great Applejack," Twilight said still looking down at the box, a few extra tears squeezing their way out.
"I-is there- is there anyway ya could bring 'em back, Twilight?" Applejack rushed herself to say in between her sobs.
"You know I would if I could Applejack... But, what's gone is-"
"Just felt like askin' anyways..." Applejack said quickly as she wanted to cut Twilight off. Twilight in turn gave an understanding nod, acknowledging that she knew why Applejack had cut her off.
The two of them sat there for a long while, a time that neither of them had been keeping track of. The sleepiness of the two ponies was like mist in the air. Why they were still up, they didn't know, at least Twilight didn't. Twilight was simply determined to continue to be there for her friend, even if that meant not sleeping. Applejack's motives to stay awake were a mystery. To not only Twilight, but herself too.
Countless hours later, the sun began to rise. The sunrise illuminated the room in which the two ponies were slouched over the box. Twilight fell asleep only a few minutes ago, but Applejack continued to stare with bloodshot red eyes at the box.
Spike reappeared from upstairs to that sight. And thinking Applejack was asleep, he creeped off into the kitchen to prepare the the tree of them.
"Spike," Applejack called from her spot near the box, "take a letter."
Spike slightly jumped out of surprise due to his thoughts of Applejack being asleep. But, following the duty he'd performed plenty of times, he fetched a quill and paper and stood tally before Applejack. Applejack began to speak in a raspy, yet clear tone of what she wanted Skype to read. Not too long later, the letter read-
“To whom it may concern,
Winona’s passed along, come to the library for goodbyes. Please, it’d mean a lot to myself and the rest of the family.
-Applejack”
Of course it wasn’t spoken exactly like that due to Applejack’s southern accent, so Spike made a few adjustments. Nor was it spoken easily, and Applejack had to stop numerous times due to uncontrollable sobbing. But once that was all said and done, Applejack asked for Spike to make three other copies of the letter and send the total of four to the rest of Applejack and Twilight’s friends: Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. Spike obliged in the command and, once the three other copies were created, sent them on their way.
Only a few hours passed, and in that time Applejack still hadn’t moved, by the time the first of the invited guests showed up. First came Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, and not too long after came Pinkie Pie, and finally Rarity. Twilight had let all the guests in, for even after they were all there, Applejack still hadn’t moved. The air dripped of sympathy for Applejack and her family. The first words since anyone had arrived were spoken quietly, but even still everyone had heard them.
“Winona was a small bundle of fun,” said Pinkie in a hushed tone, which was rare for her. The rest of the room nodded in agreement. Pinkie was also the first after everyone had arrived to come sit by Applejack’s side. Soon after she had done that, the rest of the ponies came one by one to also sit by Applejack’s side and stare at the closed box. Even Spike had come to Applejack’s side for support.
Hours passed as the six ponies and a dragon continued to sit by Applejack’s side as the gazed the box. Pinkie, as she was the first to sit, was the first to arise. Without saying a word, she quickly left the library. Everyone but Applejack turned to watch her leave. Maybe it was too much for the giddy party pony to see the rest of them like this. Maybe it was something else… It was definitely something else. Not even 10 minutes after Pinkie had left, she returned, and with a freshly baked cupcake that sent its cinnamon apple aroma to drift throughout the library. Once again, everyone but Applejack turned as Pinkie returned with the single cupcake balanced on her nose, as she then placed it onto the wooden floorboard before Applejack.
